1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is a structure for socket of multi-card reader, which is a socket of card reader that supports the insertion of memory cards with distinct specifications. Inside the socket body a rotatable read-protection device is provided. The said read-protection device uses concave part and bumps to differentiate memory cards with distinct specifications/thicknesses in order to prevent mis-contact of terminals as well as damage caused by insertion of memory card with distinct specification.
2) Description of the Prior Art
The memory cards with flash memory have diverse specifications. To meet the need, manufacturers have developed socket of card readers for distinct specifications. Consequently, card reader that accepts distinct cards was introduced to solve the problem of memory cards with distinct specifications. It is possible to differentiate memory cards with distinct specifications by identifying the shape, thickness, width, depth (length), or the position of contact terminals. However, generally speaking, memory card readers nowadays barely make use of the positional difference of insertion tracks or amount of contacting terminals as well as different initializing terminals to differentiate memory cards with distinct specifications.
Although the mechanism of distinct cards sharing one slot has been developed to scale down the size of card reader. The connecting terminals in such a mechanism are typically arranged in layers, the mis-contact between connecting terminals and memory card may happen when memory cards with the same or similar thicknesses are inserted. Since the power of memory card is supplied from the card reader side and current must flow through the contacting terminals, a short circuit or damage may accordingly occur in the memory card or in the card reader whenever a mis-contact takes place.